I'm the speaker at a luncheon this week in Kenwood. My topic is "spicing up your life". I will be talking about how spices are a great way adding flavor to your foods, are a good alternative to salt, and that they bring many health benefits too.

Now, I don't like flavored coffees. They are very popular in the UK, with coffee flavors such as:

amaretto coffee

chocolate truffle coffee

toffee cappuccino coffee

hazelnut coffee (my dad's new favorite)

irish cream coffee

chocolate caramel coffee

maple syrup walnut coffee

sticky toffee coffee

chocolate cherry coffee

chocolate chip cookie coffee

caribbean rum coffee

Christmas pudding coffee

creme brulee coffee

malt whiskey coffee

mocha orange coffee

pecan pie coffee

rum baba coffee

To me, they just don't sound like coffee! They all sound terribly sweet and sickly! Ugh - just the idea is pretty repulsive!!! I want coffee to taste like coffee....

So it was with this in mind that I gingerly tried the idea of adding spices to my coffee. I put enough decaf coffee in for four cups and to that added 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg (both ground) to the coffee grinds.

The result still tastes like coffee! The spices are quite mild - so there is room for more....I think next time I might add cloves as well. And surprisingly enough, I enjoyed it.

It's another way for us to vary what we drink, and add some nourishing spices to our life. Spices also seems to make a drink feel more like food - its more satiating and I feel like I've eaten something.

So are you a flavoured coffee drinker? What is your favorite flavor?

PS Don't you just love my new orange coffee maker! With it's little cup warmer on top too :-D